Humans seem to have lots of wrong ideas about sheep so I thought I might take a moment to put the record straight. For example people seem to think that when sheep meet in a group they are trying to tell the world it’s going to rain: When sheep gather in a huddle, tomorrow we will have a puddle. However in my experience when sheep gather together in that way they are much more likely to be having an important board meeting about the quality of the grass or the state of the fences or how to protect themselves against foxes. I mean when the artist Anthony Schrag gave his talk about the Highland Clearances, you humans had all disappeared and it seemed we were the only ones that were listening!

So this is a little poem I wrote to give you another perspective on us woolly creatures:

Please don’t underestimate a sheep
we’re not only there to help you sleep.
Or give you tips about the rain,
do not assume a woolly brain.
We may seem clumsy, thick and round
but our hooves are firmly on the ground.
We know our landscape far and wide,
more than any human guide.
We’re there to warm you when you’re cold
and bring you homewards to the fold.
When you lose yourself in pastures steep,
do not despair, just find a sheep …